Is it necessary to never leave the house when watching a dog? [closed]

During the M&G, I will let owners know that, while I am home most of the time, I may have to leave to run errands, etc. I tell them that their dog will not be left alone for more than three hours, except for unusual commitments of which I will specifically inform the owner. If I don't know the dog, it will not be left alone during the first 24 hours, at a minimum. I need to establish how they behave in my home and with my own dog. Since I do not have crates or kennels, I might employ baby gates to physically separate dogs or restrict their movement. Generally dogs are allowed to roam the first floor of my home.

The most important thing is the dog's safety and communication with the owner about care you will provide their dog. Remember, in going with a Rover sitter, the client has chosen a "home" solution rather than a commercial kennel or boarding facility with a 24/7 staff. There are pros and cons with each, but in a home environment, with one caretaker, realistically speaking, that caregiver might need to go out. Usually this isn't an issue for my clients or their dogs.

I work a full time job in addition to watching dogs on Rover. Because of this, I do not offer day care services during the work week, only boarding, house sitting or drop in visits. I make sure clients know this and that their dogs will be left alone for up to 4 hours at a time (I always come home for a long lunch when I'm dog sitting). I ask how their dog will be most comfortable and safe while I'm gone, and have baby gates and crates that they can use if they can't bring their own. I prefer for dogs to be dropped off on weekends or in the afternoon/evenings when I'll have the maximum amount of time to get to know the dog before having to leave for work, but I've had situations where the owner can only drop the dog off mid-day or later in the evening. For these situations I will utilize either a crate or a baby-gated space until I get to know the dog and its personality better.

And I don't completely limit myself when dog sitting. I state in my profile that I will treat client's dogs as my own, and that includes leaving the house occasionally. On weekends or evenings I may go out to dinner, or run some errands. I never leave the dog alone for more than 4 hours, and I ensure they get plenty of exercise and attention before I go and after I return, but unless it's otherwise discussed I don't think many owners expect your life to revolve around their dog 24/7, particularly on extended stays. I do minimize my plans outside the house when I have a dog in my care, but I've never had an issue with an owner or dog by not continuously being home.

Deb and Karen have answered this question exhaustively, but here's my two cents' worth:

I have used Rover for my own pets several times. My goal is to keep my canine senior citizens OUT of cages/kennels with a million other rambunctious dogs, for them to have some loving, tender human interaction in the evenings, and not have to pay the same price as I would for a human hotel room (boarding at a local kennel would run $90-$110/night).

As a teacher, I work full time during the school year but am home on holidays and during the summer. That is stated clearly in my profile and it ALWAYS comes up in conversation during the Meet and Greet. Most dogs come from families that have similar schedules, so they are accustomed to being alone during the day (with appropriate safety measures being taken, of course). My clients receive the care I hope for when boarding my own pets, and so far they have all been content with that.

Karen's answer seems to be utilized by a great number of sitters. Some sitters even work part time and full time jobs, in addition to providing pet care.

For me, I plan errands etc. around bookings and stay with the dogs I'm caring for. In addition to the dogs' benefits, it greatly reduces concerns of property damage and any neighbor complaints, as I tend to specialize in caring for dogs with known separation anxiety.

I believe what matters most is that the routine is discussed before the booking, so the pet parent can help decide if it's a match.

I would never leave a dog loose in the house while I was away. Either place them safely in their crate, or confine them to a single room to make sure they cannot destroy anything or get hurt while I am gone.

I always discuss the dog's routine at the M&G and ask if the parents leave the dog alone for any period of time. I also ask how the dog is contained when they do leave - free run of the house, crate, limited to one room, etc. I'm retired so I'm home most of the time but I do need to leave occasionally for errands or church on Sunday. My policy is never leave the dog alone more than 2 hours.

Similar to Karen, if it's a new client, I will generally stay home with them the first 24 hours. This gives them a chance to settle down and acclimate to a new location, and we can get to know each other. If it's a short stay, less than 4 days, I will arrange my schedule so that I am home the majority of the time. Longer than that and I will leave for about an hour to run errands or go to church. For returning clients, I may leave more often, but never more than an hour or so.

The only dogs that shouldn't be left alone would be ones with seperation anxiety or puppies or ones with incontinence issues.

If they went to kennel, there isn't going to be someone holding their paw. If they were at home, they'd be alone. Majority of dogs are left at home 6-8 hours a day while their owner at work etc Dogs are more resilient than people give them credit. That being said, I care for them like my own. We have run, walk, explore the woods, training, play, rest, cuddle, and alone time.